Time to Improve the ARRL Books – No More Expensive “B&W Newsprint” Books in a Multimedia World please. 27 - September - 2012
Posted by k9zw in Amateur Radio, K9ZW, K9ZW Just Rambled.Tags: ARRL, ARRL Library Book Set, K9ZW, K9ZW Just Rambled
2 comments
While there is some good movement in the ARRL editorial and production standards, the league persists in trying to market black & white, often on cheap paper, books that look like relics from the 1950′s.
Or they are magazine thin, refer you to online material to see the color charts/pictures and are basically useless.
Printing on rough paper that looks and feels cheap makes the books a hard sell.
It is time to update the style, format, quality and editing of these books to bring them up to scratch.
Some of the fiction resold by the ARRL appears to be print-on-demand (Lulu.com?) type publications that look great compared to the flagship publications in the offering.
Content editing would also benefit from a younger approach to style and form.
Looking at the latest RSGB books the ARRL resells wouldn’t be a bad idea in planning improvements.
Let’s be clear, the ARRL book offering is one a very few available for radio amateurs and arguably the content is the same whether the delivery has curb appeal or not. Just seems a shame not hold a higher standard in an effort to put pride in ownership back into these books.
73
Steve
K9ZW
School or Library Gift Suggestion that Counts – ARRL Library Set 31 - March - 2008
Posted by k9zw in Amateur Radio, K9ZW Just Rambled.Tags: ARRL Library Book Set, K9ZW, K9ZW Just Rambled
2 comments
Not all of us are ARRL members, but it is the rare Radio Amateur in the USA who hasn’t used an ARRL publication at some point or another.
I remember looking at the ancient ham radio books in our local public library as our local club developed a project to supply the county libraries with at least a few basic entry level books, and in the case of our main library a full ARRL Library Set.
Special money saving offer! This book set includes popular ARRL publications, intended for clubs or individuals that wish to make a gift to a local library or school. Only complete sets of these publications are available at the special price of $200 per set. Price includes UPS ground shipping throughout the 48 contiguous states, only. Call for other shipping options. Editions sent will be those available at the time the order is received. Publications and prices are subject to change without notice. This special offer applies only to orders purchased directly from ARRL. Orders must be pre-paid.
The ARRL offer is roughly a 40% discount, offered in the interest in getting these books into the “right places” for encouraging potential new amateurs and supporting licensees who are library users.
The link is: http://www.arrl.org/FandES/field/club/libookset.html
And the special order form is at:
http://www.arrl.org/FandES/field/club/liborderform.pdf
Our local club has done a Library set several times over the years, one for the Manitowoc Public Library and one for the Club Reference Library. After a few years we do another donation set to keep the books up to date.
Perhaps such a gift would fit into your club’s community efforts?
73
Steve
